I'll Try and Find You Again
by bren97122
Summary: Corvo Attano has had enough of his life of betrayal and corruption. He already lost the woman he loved, what more could there be? But, he found love once more. A short tale of Corvo's life after the Low Chaos ending of the game. I paired him with someone no one really seemed to give much mind to. Some scenes of the game have been edited slightly to fit the story more. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Yes, I know it seemed that Cecelia was interested in Piero, but I didn't really like him. he was just... boring. reminds me of my Geometry teacher actually XD. So I thought she and Corvo worked together. Anyways, enjoy!

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Corvo Attano, former Lord Protector, former fugitive and assassin, formerly a man well known across the Isles, for both good reasons and wrong reasons. But he had had enough. The Empress, a woman who loved him as a husband and whom he loved as his own wife, was killed in cold blood. He was framed for it and his own daughter was snatched from him as he was held powerless to resist. In the months that followed, he was thrust into an underworld of political intrigue, corruption, and betrayal, all in an effort to clear his name.

And he had enough of it for one lifetime.

Corvo wanted to get away from the web of intrigue that shattered his life and forced him to become a killer. He never wanted it, any of it. He wished for nothing more than a quiet, comfortable life once again. He had that with the Empress, Jessamine Kaldwin; he had a good life and a love he felt would never end. He wanted that back more than anything.

He did find love, though, in a young woman of much lowlier origins: Cecelia Pendleton. Young Cecelia, with her bright red hair and light brown eyes, looked similar to many girls form Morley. She and Corvo had become acquainted soon after he arrived at the Hounds Pit. He had ventured down into the dark, dank sewers beneath the pub. He then proceeded to deal with a small group of Weepers who had snuck in from outside. He then climbed up a chain that ran up into a side room where Cecilia just so happened to be cleaning up. She watched as Corvo scurried up the chain like a rat to a corpse, breathing heavily and finally pushing himself to the Pub. "Did you go down there all by yourself?" she asked him as he removed his metal mask. "Yeah, I did." He replied.

"You must be the bravest man I've ever met." She said. Corvo smiled at her for the first time. "Thank you." He said. And so began their fond memories of them sitting together at the darkened main bar under a single lamp while the rest of the Pit's residents were asleep or in their personal rooms. They talked and laughed together, sharing a tart here and there or a bottle of Gristol Cider, which were plentiful behind the counter. They seemed at their happiest together, and several times the other Loyalists found the two fast asleep in their seats at the bar. Sure it got people talking while Corvo was away on his tasks, but they found it hard to believe. Corvo seemed to have a taste for noble women. A noble Cecelia was not.

But Corvo didn't care. Besides her looks, he found something else behind her brown eyes, compassion and understanding. To most, he was a stone cold assassin, out to get his revenge on those who wronged him. He tried to keep up that image, but in reality, Corvo was broken on the inside. If it were not for his own love for Emily Kaldwin, his own flesh and blood, he would've lost the will to go on after being betrayed by his "allies."

But yet he went on. For her. For the future of the Isles. For Cecelia.

And when he returned to the Hounds Pits after his little adventure through the Flooded District, he nearly broke down in tears of relief when he found Cecelia without a scratch on her pretty body in the aftermath of Havelock's betrayal and killing of three innocents.

And he was overjoyed once again after eliminating the guards around the Pub with Pierro's and Sokolov's Arc Pylon device. He sprinted back to the abandoned apartment where she had been hiding, to hug her and tell her everything was safe. But yet, when he returned, she was gone. And in her place, a quickly scribbled note was left for him.

_Corvo, I'm going to try to make a break for it. If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have had the courage to do this. I'll try and find you again, once this is all over. - Cecelia._

Behind the metal and insulation of his mask, Corvo felt his eyes fill with tears. He read and reread the note, trying to tell himself that she'd be able to handle herself out there. Who was he trying to kid? She couldn't. Dunwall had turned into a cesspool of death and disease. Corvo barely made it out of some areas of the city in one piece and how would Cecelia make it with no weapons, armor, or combat experience? He only hoped that she would keep her promise to find him again once it was over.

And soon, it was all over.

Emily was on the throne and Corvo stuck by her in the early days of her hurried ascension to the throne. People were angry and upset; others were taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Some even thought Corvo was still the true killer of Jessamine Kaldwin. Although mot the population started to doubt this after the crimes of the Lord Regent were exposed to the public eye. Emily's first act as Empress was to pardon Corvo of any crimes as well. Even further, the assassin Daud had Blinked into Emily's court one day, barely being able to walk after his confrontation with Corvo.

Daud confessed to the killing and before he Blinked out of the area as guards ran into tackle him he pointed at Corvo and said simply "We're even now." He was never seen again.

After Corvo had made sure that Emily was safe from any threat, he resigned from his position as Lord Protector. Emily of course protested this, but Corvo told her that he would always be there for her if she needed it. He wanted to make sure he would hopefully never have to deal with another plot again.

Corvo moved back to his home island of Serkanos. Empress Emily of course made sure he was comfortable back home. She had sent him gifts of thousands of coin, enough to build a home rivaling that of Dunwall Tower. But Corvo instead sent most of it back to the state. He chose to build a small home on a lonely stretch of beach in eastern Serkanos. His home was two stories, with seven rooms.

He spent much of his life here. His home was far off from the nearest major settlement and rarely did he see many other people in pathways around the beach, he ventured into town only to get food and drink and occasionally a book or two.

Most of his days were spent sitting on the beach or balcony of his home reading, writing, or sketching. He did enjoy these arts more so now that he had all the time he needed. He didn't need to work as Emily made sure he was exempt from any taxes or fees. He wrote poetry about his life as Lord Protector and as the Empress's lover.

He drew the sea creatures around his home, the whaling ships returning home with their catch, along with things he recalled from memory. The Empress, Dunwall Tower, the Outsider, his Mark.

Speaking of the Outsider, the Outsider seemed to be very amused with him at this time. He wasn't malicious in any way, but he just seemed to find Corvo entertaining. Sometimes he visited him in Corvo's dreams. The Outsider always talked about happenings around the Empire, how he felt so good about giving Corvo his mark.

And because of this, Corvo erected a shrine to the Outside, which he simply bowed to quickly each day in the morning and before he went to bed.

But the Outsider was not always alone in his dreams. Sometimes he bought a certain person with him to talk to Corvo.

Jessamine Kaldwin.

She always smiled and talked calmly, asking Corvo about the state of the Isles and how Emily was doing on the throne. She acknowledged the fact she was dead and that Corvo took the fall for the conspiracy against her. And she seemed fine with. She also talked with him about Cecelia. Corvo sometimes felt guilty for thinking about her, for falling in love with her. He sometimes felt as if he was disrespecting Jessamine's memory when he yearned for her company.

But Jessamine simply smiled at this when he told her this in his dreams. _I'm here no longer, Corvo._ She told him._ I am in another place now. I understand that you miss me and I miss you too, Corvo. But it's time to move on. It's time to let go. Move on, Corvo. Follow your heart. It's time to let me go._ She would smile as she faded away and Corvo awoke soon after.

And he realized that she was right. Corvo needed to move on from her. But he wondered if Cecelia was even still alive in the months and years after she disappeared from his life. He just hoped she was. His worst fear was that she caught the Plague and became one of the Weepers. There was a cure for it now, readily available for anyone who needed it. But was it too late for her? Was she already wrapped in bloody linen and cast off like trash? He hoped and hoped, but he didn't know what to think.

And then one night, as he sat on the beach looking out at the Serkanos sky, red and orange from the sunset, he heard footsteps in the sand behind him. Thinking it was just another Serkanite passing by; he heard a familiar voice he hadn't heard in years.

"Hello Corvo."

He stood up and turned around. And there was Cecelia, smiling standing before him. He ran to her and they embraced. "Cecelia Pendleton" he said. "Where have been for these years?" she smiled again. "Looking for you, Corvo. You haven't made it easy. But no matter, I am here now. And I don't like that last name. I want to be Cecelia Attano." Corvo looked into her eyes and said "I'll make sure of it." And they kissed and kissed under the Serkanos sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Around two months later, Corvo and Cecelia were married.

They both originally wanted to have a quiet wedding with a short ceremony. Empress Emily however, had caught wind of this and personally requested that Corvo and Cecelia were married at Dunwall Tower. Corvo declined again and again, until his future wife convinced him just this once to make Emily happy.

They were wed in the main hall of the building, Corvo could've bought the finest suit in the Isles with the money Empress Emily gave him, but he instead chose to wear his old grey overcoat and brown vest, the one he wore as his normal wear during his times of Lord Protector. He bought Cecelia a beautiful white dress, made from the finest silk imported from far off lands and twinkled in the sunlight since it had small reflective crystals weaved into it.

What a pair they made walking down the aisle on the 3rd day of the Month of Songs, ruggedly handsome Corvo in a torn, somewhat dirty coat and beautiful Cecelia twinkling in the light, her red hair tied back with a brilliant hair piece holding it in place.

Empress Emily herself recited the vows of marriage, something reserved usually for members of the Abbey of the Everyman. Being the Empress though, she did have few special privileges.

"Do you, Corvo Attano, take Cecelia Pendleton to be your wife under the laws of the Empire?" she asked him. Corvo bowed and said "I will." Emily turned to Cecelia. "And will you, Cecelia Pendleton, take Corvo Attano to be your husband under the laws of the Empire?" Cecelia bowed to her and said "I will." Emily closed the book she had been reciting out of and smiled at the pair.

"I, Empress Emily Kaldwin, declare Corvo Attano and Cecelia Pendleton to be husband and wife."

The crowd assembled rose up in thunderous applause as they both kissed and headed back down the aisle and out the door. For the rest of the day, they celebrated, and Corvo felt as if his life was once more complete. And as he and Cecelia danced, he swore he heard Jessamine's voice in the back of his head say "Congratulations, Corvo. Enjoy your life." He smiled a she heard this, looked into Cecelia's eyes and kissed her once more.

Three months later-

In a darkened bedroom overlooking a Serkanos beach, Cecelia Attano lay awake next to her husband, looking up at the Moon through a skylight. She and Corvo had just finished a session of lovemaking, but Cecelia had something she needed to tell him about this, but she feared his reaction. She took a deep breath and said "Corvo? Are you awake?"

"I am." He replied.

Cecelia sighed and pulled a blanket over herself. "I need to tell you something." She said. Corvo turned to her. "Yes?" Cecelia felt her stomach tighten. "Well, we just, you know... I just, need to say, um, I'm... Barren." She was terrified. Men in the Isles most of the time married women in hopes of having children in order to have a successor for the years to come. If a woman was barren in the Isles, well, she wasn't exactly too desirable. She had been meaning to tell her new husband this, but she didn't want to hear his reaction.

Corvo smiled. "And I should care why?" She smiled back at him. "I was just wondering if you were hoping to start a family, maybe. Or you just married in hopes of having a son." Corvo kissed her and said "I married you because I love you, Cecelia. I never intended for anything else. You are my world and my one and only. Don't trouble yourself with anything else."

Cecelia was surprised. "Really, Corvo?" she asked. Corvo nodded. "Really."

Corvo and Cecelia Attano lived a long and happy life. Empress Emily Kaldwin led The Isles to a new Golden Age. They made contact with peoples and lands across the world, landing colonies on the fabled Pandyssian Continent, making new discoveries in the various fields of science. Men built better ships and weapons that secured peace for ages and even built machines that gave men the power of flight like birds. And the Attanos saw it all. And they were happy.

And when they died, Empress Emily made sure they were given royal burials with Corvo buried with three items that were recovered from a metal chest that he kept beneath his bed. A grey, torn overcoat, an interesting folding sword, built from the finest materials available, and a metal, skull-like mask, once the scourge of Dunwall, but became the symbol of its greatest protector. Emily too visited their graves, leaving a single rose in their memory.


End file.
